Before All the Nightmares
by jackskellington666
Summary: Ever wonder what Jack and Sally and the villagers of Halloween town were like when they were little? This story fills in that blank.
1. Chapter 1

Before All the Nightmares

"This is Halloween,

this is Halloween,

pumpkins scream in the dead of night.

This is Halloween

Everybody make a scene,

trick or treat

Til' the neighbor's die of fright!"

"Jack you know all the words to that song!" a little werewolf cried.

"Yes, yes I do." smiled a small gangly skeleton boy.

This boy is known as Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin Prince of Halloween Town. A mere skeleton is all Jack appears to be, but he has the boldness of a lion and the cunning moves and curiosity of a cat. He is tall for his age, but he is not singled out for this. He wears a baggy ragged pinstripe suit. He has hollow, empty black eye sockets the size of tennis balls and a wide skeleton grin.

"Oh Jack you are so terrible!" squealed a few kid-witches.

"Thank you." Jack beamed.

"Children, it is time to go home!" Mrs. Ghoul, their teacher chimed.

The children dispersed and collected their belongings.

"Bye Jack!" several kids called as Jack separated himself from the group.

"Bye!" he called back.

When he thought he was alone, he headed towards the graveyard. However, he was not aware that someone was following him. Jack stopped at a doghouse shaped tombstone and clapped his bony hands together. A few moments passed and then a small ghost dog with a shiny red nose appeared. It began barking happily and zooming around Jack.

"I'm glad to see you too Zero!" Jack chuckled while stroking the dog.

Jack heard giggling behind him. He swerved around but saw no one.

"I could have sworn I heard…" Jack muttered.

Zero began barking frantically and zoomed forward to a group of headstones.

"What's gottin' into you Zero?" Jack questioned while moving forward "Oh!"

Lying behind the tombstone was his fellow classmate, Sally Ragdoll.

"H-hi," Jack stammered "you need help?"

Jack reached out his hand to help her up. Sally hesitantly grabbed it. Jack gently pulled her up onto her feet.

"You come here too?" Jack grinned trying to start a conversation.

Sally nodded and then quietly added "I thought no one else came here."

"Me too," Jack exclaimed "most times I come to visit Zero, other times I come her to uhhh… think."

Jack, expecting Sally to giggle and tell him that was a dumb thing to do, averted his eyes upwards. He waited for a moment and then looked at her. Instead of hilarity, an understanding look was on her face. Jack smiled at her.

"You know maybe tomorrow you could…" Jack began awkwardly.

"Yea?" Sally questioned hopefully.

"You know hang out with…." Jack stuttered.

"Sally!" a croaky voice called.

"Oh, that's the Professor…. I better go." Sally said with hints of disappointment on her face.

"Oh...okay," Jack said trying to hide his own disappointment "see you tomorrow."

Once he had said goodbye to Zero and Sally had long since gone, he headed home. At the gate of the Graveyard, he found a small hand with a thread dangling from it.

"Sally," he happily murmured "I'll return it to her tomorrow before everyone gets to school."

A/N: Ok, so I am not that good at intro chapters… but hey! Just to let you know Jack, Sally and their friends are 13 and 14. PLEASE review. Now I won't hold it against you if you don't, but it will give me inspiration.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sally's POV

"Sally!" the professor scolded "I told you to come straight home!"

"I know." Sally quietly answered.

"And you've lost your hand!" the professor croaked.

"I know…" Sally repeated, again meekly.

"Who **_were_** you talking to anyways!" the professor demanded.

"The…the Pumpkin Prince s...Sir" Sally stammered.

"Oh Jack! Such a clever boy……" the professor mused.

"Mmmmhmmm." Sally agreed half dreamily.

"Well just don't stand there," the professor began "go to your room!"

Sally trudged up the stairs to her room, her footsteps softly echoing throughout the lab. She reached her room door and plopped down onto the bed. She touched her remaining hand and smiled to herself. This was the hand Jack had touched. She sighed and closed her eyes.

'It's too good to last.' A taunting voice sneered in her mind.

She swatted this thought away. She hoped Jack had found her hand. To think what her classmates do if they found her hand or saw it was missing! All these thoughts began to tire her, therefore causing her to fall into a deep sleep.

Jack's POV

Jack tossed the small hand in the air. 'He'd have to return this to Sally before everyone got to school. But How? Maybe she would come to school early.' Jack thought 'yeah he had seen her there early once.'

He set the small frail hand on his bedside drawer. He stared up at the ceiling and began to think.

'Would his classmates shun him because he hangs out with Sally RagDoll?'

'Should he care what they think?'

'Maybe he _should _care what they think, considering his reputation is at stake.'

'But Sally is nice and understanding'

"**Uhhhhh!**" Jack groaned while rubbing his aching skull.

He slowly got into his pajamas and walked over to the window. He stared out at the vast, dark village. His eyes lingered for a moment on the Professor's Lab. After a few moment of hoping that Sally would come to her window had passed Jack closed the curtain and headed to bed. He clicked of his skeletal light and fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A/N: Before I begin: THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! to all of the reviewers! That gave me ALOT of inspiration and I think I could write like 3 more chapters and have them up, just off that inspiration!(no promises though). So keep reviewing and on with story!

Jack's POV

The moment the skeletal rooster let out its screeching wake up call, Jack bounced out of bed. He hurriedly got ready for school. Once he looked good _enough_, he gently picked up Sally's hand and placed it in his pocket. He zoomed downstairs, bided his parent's goodbye and set off for school... Once he arrived, he noticed that Sally hand not come yet, so he leaned up against the black iron fence to wait.

Sally's POV

Sally was now well on her way to school. She had got ready in a flash, but it took a while to actually get **_out_** of the house. The Professor chided her about coming home _on time _and swore if she was late he would punish her severely. As she approached the school, she noticed Jack.

'Man he looks **cute**…. Leaning on the fence like that.' Sally thought while slowing down her pace so it didn't look like she **_knew _**he was going to be there.

Jack had now noticed her causing her to blush furiously.

'I wonder if I said that out loud!' Sally questioned herself trying with all her might to hide her blush.

"Hey." Jack greeted snapping Sally back into reality.

"H...hi." Sally stuttered causing jack to smile which made her blush comeback **_full blast._**

"I uhh… found this." Jack told her while pulling her hand out of his jacket pocket.

"Oh….." Sally said as if she didn't know it was gone causing her mind to reprimand her and the taunting voice to sat _"Smooth"._

"Yeah I was looking for it." Sally tried to redeem herself.

"Yeah I would think you would need it." Jack joked.

Sally smiled at his wit. After a few silent moments passed between the two, Jack said:

"So uhhh… yesterday I tried to ask you if you wanted to … you know hang out with us today."

In Sally's mind she was screaming and jumping, but to Jack she just stood there.

"That is if you want to," Jack began rambling feeling embarrassed that he thought she would want to hang out with him " cause I would understand if you don't want to …"

Sally, now noticing she had not given him a reply, became mortified with herself.

'He thinks you hate him' the voice in her head sneered.

"I'd **_love_** to." She answered and smiled at Jack's relieved face.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jack POV

'Wow that scared me.' Jack thought 'I thought she thought I was a dork for thinking she would want to hang out with **_me._**'

"C…cool," Jack grinned "so we got a while before school starts….."

"Yeah I better fix my hand." Sally smiled while taking out her needle and thread.

She began fumbling with the task, muttering and groaning to herself.

"Want me to help?" Jack offered.

"S…sure." Sally smiled.

"Well I can't sew...so I'll hold your hand still and you can sew it on." Jack suggested

"Ok." Sally quietly answered.

Jack kneeled down next to her and took her hand in his hand.

Sally began sewing quickly keeping her head down the whole time. When the hand was completely sewn on a shock surged through both of their bodies.

'I wonder what that was.' Jack thought.

Sally, now blushing slightly, had lifted her head and was looking directly at Jack. The familiar jolt shot through Jack. They both gazed into each other eyes, oblivious to their surroundings. Jack still had not even let Sally's hand go.

"Hey Jack!" a shrieking voice interrupted.

"Oh… hi Azura." Jack said disappointingly while letting go of Sally's hand.

"Oh hi… uhh what's your name?" the preppy looking witch rudely asked.

"Sally." Sally answered in both a shy and afraid voice.

"Oh…. Jack come on the gang's over there." The snobby witch said half ignoring Sally.

The witch turned around and began to lead the way. Jack got up and beckoned Sally to do the same. Once she did, Jack whispered:

"Don't mind her; if she's rude to you just tell me."

Sally nodded quickly and began to blush madly at having him so close to her face. Jack smirked and continued on with Sally close behind.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Azura's POV

'What the heck was that lump of rag doing with Jack!' Azura angrily thought 'I saw Jack holding her hand, she probably fake fell down so she could flirt with him. 'Well now I've got him all to myself' Azura greedily thought while turning around to flirt with Jack.

However when she turned around it was like a smack in the face. Jack and Sally were whispering and laughing about something.

'Oooohhh that little **_rag sack_**!' Azura fumed while glaring at Sally.

With that, Azura stomped back to the two.

"Hey **Jack**," Azura hissed while glaring at Sally as she added the emphasis to Jack's name "come with me."

She grabbed his hand and tugged at him to come forward. Jack, although hesitantly, moved forward. But he was determined to stay with Sally, so instead of pulling away, he just grabbed Sally's hand and pulled her along with him. Once they had reached the gang's "_hangout"_, Azura let go of Jack's hand.

"Now we are rid of that…" Azura nastily began while turning around to face Jack "OH!"

Azura was now fuming red but did not show it.

'Why that little I'll show her!' she evilly plotted.

"Children come inside!" Mrs. Ghoul shrieked.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

At lunch recess, Azura confronted Sally alone.

'Good thing Jack got a lunch detention today, bow I have her** all by herself.**'

"Hi Sally." Azura said in a horribly fake sweet voice.

"Hi." Sally said shyly.

'Enough with the "_I am so scared and innocent act"' _Azura thought.

"Listen Sally," Azura said in her false sweet tone "how do I put this…"

"Put what?" Sally asked

"You see, Jack doesn't like you the **_way_** you think he likes you." Azura said meanly but making it sound sweet.

"W-what…" Sally asked in shock.

"Actually, he doesn't like you at all," Azura explained " he's just being nice to you because his father, you know the **_Pumpkin King_**, said if he's gonna be King he has to be friends with everyone."

"R-really." Sally said on the verge of tears.

"Yeah so maybe you shouldn't hang around him so much," Azura rudely finished as the bell rang "oh that's the bell."

Azura got up and ran to the door, winking at Jack as she passed him.

Jack's POV

'Uck! Why would she think I would respond to that!' Jack thought repulsively 'Oh there's Sally.'

Jack smiled as Sally looked up at him. Instead of a small smile back, Sally burst into tears and ran off.

"Sally!" Jack called after her as she ran out of the schoolyard.

" W-why was she so upset….**AZURA**!" Jack began calmly and when he reached the answer became extremely irate.

Jack burst through Ms. Elephante's music classroom door. (This was Azura's 5th period class)

"Jack must you be so loud?" Ms. Ellephante scolded

Calming himself Jack smoothly said:

"Sorry Madam" he politely addressed her "but I **need** to speak with Azura."

Azura, who thought he was going to take her out on a romantic date as they ditched school, jumped up.

"Ok but make it quick." Ms. Ellephante chided.

Once outside the door, Jack glared at Azura.

"What did you do!" he fiercely hissed.

"What!" Azura said greatly taken aback.

"Sally's run off and I saw her crying, **_what did you do_**!" Jack deathly whispered.

" Oh that," Azura said practically shrugging it off causing Jack to become angrier.

"**_What did you say!_**" Jack growled

"I just told her that you didn't like her, you know have a crush on her." Azura explained like she did not care.

"What!" Jack fumed.

"I told her she was wasting her time flirting with you because you don't like her in that way." Azura began to raise her voice.

"Sally…" Jack whispered.

"So Jack do you wanna…" Azura began but cut herself off.

Jack was tearing down the hall and heading for the exit.

"**Uhhhhh JACK."** Azura called after him.

"I've gotta find Sally." Jack thought determinedly "she must be in the graveyard.'

With that Jack sprinted for the graveyard.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Sally's POV

Sally sat, actually laid, sobbing in the graveyard.

"How could I think he…" Sally sobbed out loud.

Sally tried not to think about it, but it did not help. She continued to sob.

"Why are you crying?" a familiar voice asked.

"B….because J….jack does…'nt l…ike m…me." Sally choked out between sobs.

"Who says that?" the person asked.

"C…cause she's one of his friends a…and she… she knows him better then… then... I do." Sally continued to cry.

"Oh really." The voice remarked in result giving away its owner.

"Jack!" Sally yelled frightened looking at him in horror

"Yeah…" Jack said "it's me."

Sally now up on her feet said: "Well you heard everything, so I'm gonna go…"

"Why did you believe her?" Jack questioned.

"Cause she said your father **told** you to be my friend." Sally quietly said.

"The liar," Jack whispered "she **lied** to you!"

"I'm supposed to believe that." Sally argued.

"You believed _her._" Jack quietly argued back.

"You're probably bluffing to save your crown!" Sally yelled for once in her life "SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO BACK TO YOUR…"

Sally had been completely cut off. Jack had been moving forward as she yelled and at the precise moment, he did wanted to do this morning, he kissed her. A completely breath-taking, hair-raising jolt shot through Sally and Jack. Slowly, Jack pulled apart.

'OH MY GOSH…" Sally thought dreamily.

A/N: SO! Arent you so happy! I finally fulfilled most of the reviewers wishes! Yet the reviews are stopping so keep reviewing it truly does inspire me to write more

jackskellinton666


	8. Chapter 8

Dear Readers,

I have horrible news! This story has been plagued by… _writer's block!_ Right about now you probably want to hurt me but don't send the letter bomb just yet... I already have started writing a new story and it should be up **_very_** soon. So I am **_really_** sorry for canceling "Before All the Nightmares" but I have a new story so don't hate me!


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